A Fresh Start

Chapter 4

"Are you serious?" Silverwind asked Leafpaw. 

"Yes," Leafpaw replied. "No more battles or patrols. You shouldn't have even gone to this battle. That scratch is going to be a whole lot worse. Tomorrow you should move to the nursery. And, of course, you have to tell Squirrelfur." 

"Okay," Silverwind meowed. "Thanks Leafpaw." She dipped her head and left the den.

The next day when Silverwind woke up Squirrelfur was entering the den. "Hi," Silverwind meowed. 

"You're awake!" Squirrelfur meowed. 

"Yeah..." Silverwind meowed, getting up and leaving the den, Squirrelfur following. Silverwind stopped and turned to face Squirrelfur. "I have something to tell you," she meowed. 

"What is it?" Squirrelfur asked, confused by her tone. 

Silverwind took a deep breath and meowed, "I'm expecting kits and moving into the nursery today..." 

"Really?" Squirrelfur responded. 

Silverwind thought about it. "Yes," she mewed. 

Squirrelfur looked thoughtful. "That's...great!"

Squirrelfur gave Silverwind a few licks. Silverwind purred happily. "Who do you think..." Squirrelfur gulped, struggling with whatever thought and trying to put it to words. "Who do you think the father is?" 

"You, of course. Why would you think otherwise?" Silverwind replied. 

Squirrelfur shrugged. "That's great, really," he purred. "You should tell Goldenheart." 

"Okay!" Silverwind mewed.

Silverwind walked over to the nursery and beckoned to Goldenheart. "Yes?" She asked. 

"I'm expecting kits and moving to the nursery today!" Silverwind meowed. 

Goldenheart's face brightened. "That's great! I could show you how to move into here!" She meowed. Her face saddened. "Actually, I guess I don't have to. It's just like moving into the warriors den. You can have the nest next to mine!"

"Great!" Silverwind exclaimed.

Later that day Silverwind found herself in Flamestar's den with Graypelt, Flamestar, and Sandtail, with Squirrelfur at her side.

"We have something to tell you..." Silverwind began. She glanced at Squirrelfur. They'd already discussed how they were going to tell them. She saw Flamestar tense, thinking it was bad news. Squirrelfur took a deep breath and meowed, "Silverwind's expecting kits and is moving into the nursery today!" Silverwind looked at all cats. Flamestar relaxed, this is the news he'd been waiting for; Sandtail looked happy and confused, but Graypelt was a different story. He looked furious, confused, and the tiniest bit proud.

A heartbeat later the wriggling started; it's felt nonstop lately. Silverwind rushed out of Flamestar's den, and as she was leaving she heard Sandtail meow, "Poor girl."

Silverwind paused a few paces outside of Flamestar's den. She didn't notice until after she'd vomited that Graypelt followed her out. "How come you didn't tell me about this?" He demanded. 

Silverwind looked at her father. "I just found out yesterday after Grassheart's warrior ceremony!" She responded. 

Graypelt relaxed some. "Oh, well I'm glad you got over Blackstream, but I didn't realize you and Squirrelfur were so serious..." he meowed. "Unless he's not the father." Graypelt cast a curious glance in her direction. 

Silverwind nodded. "He is," she admitted. 

Graypelt fully relaxed and his expression turned happy. "Well I approve of your choice," he meowed. 

Silverwind turned angry. "You approve?" She retorted. "What exactly were you going to do if you didn't approve?" Without waiting for a reply Silverwind ran to the nursery.

The next day Silverwind woke up to Squirrelfur entering the nursery. "You know Graypelt didn't mean what he said, he was just in shock," he meowed. 

Silverwind stretched her muscles and sat up. "I know," she said as she started grooming her pelt. "Just, when he said that, I got mad." 

Squirrelfur nodded. "I understand, but you should be happy that he's happy," he meowed. Silverwind's stomach rumbled when she remembered she hadn't eaten last night.

She went to the fresh-kill pile and picked a rabbit. She finished it in a few measly gulps and buried her face in the fur between Squirrelfur's shoulder blades.

"Are you okay?" Squirrelfur asked, concerned. 

"Just tired," she responded. She raised her head to look at Squirrelfur. 

"You shouldn't be so hard on Graypelt. He loves you and is only looking out for you," Squirrelfur meowed. "I'm s-" Silverwind lightly pressed her tail tip to Squirrelfur's mouth to cut him off.

"I know, you're right," she meowed.

Silverwind turned to see the morning patrol return, the sunhigh patrol leave, and Grassheart coming over to them. "Hi Silverwind!" She meowed. 

"Hi Grassheart," Silverwind meowed. 

"Is it okay if I go hunting by myself?" Grassheart asked. 

"Grassheart, I'm not your mentor anymore, you don't need to ask," Silverwind replied softly. 

Grassheart looked embarrassed and her voice lowered. "So you're really expecting kits?"

"Yes."

"But you're so young."

Her voice returned to normal. "Anyway, I need to talk to you later Squirrelfur." 

Squirrelfur nodded. "Okay," he replied.

Silverwind waited until Grassheart was out of earshot to meow, "I'm so young?" 

Squirrelfur shook his head. "I'm sure it's nothing," he reassured her. 

Silverwind looked around camp. "Where's Leafpaw? I haven't seen her today," she asked. 

"She went to High Boulders for the half-moon earlier this morning. She should be back by tomorrow at sunset," Squirrelfur explained. 

"Oh," Silverwind mewed.

The next day Silverwind sat around camp while Squirrelfur trained Birchpaw until near sunset for the evening meal. "How is Birchpaw doing?" She asked. 

"His fighting moves are sharp and he's great at hunting," Squirrelfur responded as the medicine cats returned.

"They're back!" Silverwind meowed. She walked over to the medicine cat apprentice. 

"Silverwind, I have something exciting to tell you!" The apprentice exclaimed. 

"Yes?" Silverwind asked.

"My name is officially Leafcloud!" Leafcloud mewed. 

"That's great!" Silverwind purred.

Silverwind sat down with a vole next to Leafcloud and Squirrelfur. "So how have you been?" Leafcloud asked. 

"Okay," Silverwind replied.

 "It's only temporary," she reminded Silverwind. 

"I know," she meowed.

Silverwind got up and went into the nursery. She hadn't even been in there two minutes when Squirrelfur entered, his face horrified. He beckoned to her she followed him out to the clearing. In the middle of the clearing, near the fresh-kill pile, Silverwind spotted a hauntingly familiar pile of gray and brown fur.